Releasable package



May 2, 1939.-

P. M. ROGERS RELEASABLE PACKAGE Filed NOV. 27, 1956 ATTORNEYSv 5 compass the Patented May 2, 1939 UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFEQE RELEASABLE PACKAGE Application November 27, 1936, Serial No. 112,918

5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements inv packages or wrap-pings therefor and aims to provide an improved package of ring-like form with a covering therefor, comprising a strip of a length to encompass the ring-like article circumferentially and of a width enough greater than the cross-sectional perimeter of the article to transversely encompass the latter and also provide a pair of margins which are releasably stitched to one another.

It is broadly old to pro-Vide wrappings for tires and the like including narrow strips, which are wound helically around the same. It is also x broadly old to provide wrapping strips which enring-like merchandise circumferentially. In the old circumferentially encompassing wrapping strips, the enclosure has usually been effected by adhesively securing different portions of the wrapping strip to one another, or by the use of separate adhesive strips for securing the parts.

A particular feature of the novelty of my present invention resides in the use of a wrapping strip with margins to receive a line of stitching of a type peculiarly well suited for maintaining a tight closure of the wrapping while the package is in transit and yet adapted to be easily and quickly disconnected so as to permit unwrapping. As will hereinafter more fully appear, the margins of the wrappings are secured by a line of lock stitching, in which the loop threads are of relatively limp flexible material and the locking thread is of a stiffer material and adapted to be pulled through the flexible loops.

For a more detailed disclosure of the invention, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, the following detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawing- Fig. I is'a side elevation of a package embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-section thereof on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-section showing the covering strip before the margins thereof are secured to one another; Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary View illustrating in detail the flexible loop threads and the relatively stiii locking thread; Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a view illustrating the manner in which a shipping tag or the like may be secured to the locking thread.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing, I0 represents conventionally any ring-shaped merchandise, such for example as a coil of wire, which is to be enclosed by a strip Il, so as to form part of the improved package. Although, I

(Cl. 20S-46) have illustrated a coil of Wire by way of example, it will be clear that the improved wrapping strip and package may apply equally to similar ringshaped merchandise, such as automobile tires, rubber hose, groups of hoops and the like. The covering I0 is in the nature of' a flexible strip of relatively heavy paper, burlap, or other protective material. The length of thestrip is suiiicient to encompass the ring-like merchandise I0 circumferentially and its width is enough greater than theAcross-sectional perimeter of the merchandise to provide a pair of annular margins lz and I 3, which are adapted to be brought into contact with one another. As illustrated in Fig. 8, the flexible covering strip will first be bent to substantially U-shape, as shown in cross-section. The margins I2 and I3 will then be pressed inward into engagement, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. If relatively stiff paper or the like is used,7 when the margins I2 and I3 are pressed inward a number of gathers or pleats may be formed, as indicated at I4 in Fig. 1. However, if desired, known types of crepe paper may be used, which is capable of being stretched to conform generally to the shape of the ring-like article. However, it is to be understood that the covering strip can be very effectively made of ordinary kraft paper or textile fabric, such as burlap and that in either case, even though the gathers or tucks I4 are made therein, the side faces, such as indicated at I5 and I6 will be suiciently smooth and flat to receive printed indicia, which may be applied by ordinary printing operations.

This is done prior to the time the covering or wrapping strip is applied, or it can be applied by stencil, after the package is wrapped. In the drawing, I have indicated such printed matter at I1.

The marginal portions I2 and I3 are releasably secured by a line of stitching indicated generally at I8. I regard it important to employ a type of stitching, Whose holding power can be quickly negatived, so as to permit quick and easy opening of the package. To these ends, I prefer to secure the margins of the covering strip to one another by lock stitching, which is made up of differing threads, namely, a loo-p thread I9 of a relatively flimsy and flexible nature, and for the locking thread 20, I provide material which is relatively stiffer than the loop thread. For example, the loop thread may be of cotton, cord material or the like and the lock thread 20 may be of a stiffer material, such as a metallic wire. However, it is to be understood that I am not limited'to the use of wire for the lock thread, 55

the important point being that it be so stiff` that in the application of the line of stitching such lock thread will remain unbent and will, therefore, not be pulled through the fabric of the covering or wrapping strip.

The lock stitching referred to may be applied by the type of sewing machine involving the use of a conventional mechanically actuated needle for applying the loop stitches 2l and a suitable type of shuttle for applying the locking thread or wire 28. Because of the relative limpness of the loop threads and the stiffness of the locking thread, in practice, the wire locking thread will not be kinked, thus the loop stitches 2! will pierce the margins l2 and i3 of the covering strip, as indicated in Fig. 5 and will overlap the locking thread 2U, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5. Clearly, the locking thread will not be drawn through the covering material, but will lie on the exterior surface thereof. Thus, the locking wire is in condition to be readily pulled free from the loop stitches, so as to unfasten the package without tearing the covering. Thus the package can be readily opened without tearing or mutilating it. Hence, the same covering could be reused, if desired. It is also apparentthat, because no tearing of the covering is required to open the package, there is no littering of the premises by stray fragments thereof, such as produced when some prior types of fastening means are used for the package.

In some instances, a shipping tag, such as indicated at 22, will be sewed between the margins l2 and I3. When the tag is so secured, the ends of the locking wire will be twisted together, as indicated at 23 in Fig. l. Alternatively, as indicated in Fig, 6, a shipping tag 22a may be fastened to the package by passing one of the ends 2d of the locking thread or wire 20 through a perforation 25 in the shipping tag.

When it is desired to open the improved package, this can be quickly and easily accomplished by untwisting the twisted terminal extensions thereof, and then grasping one end and pulling it through the loop stitches. This will then permit the covering strip to be separated, as indicated in Fig. 3, whereupon it can be readily removed from the coil of wire or other article of ring-like merchandise.

Although the ring-like merchandise herein referred to will usually include articles such as coils of wire, automobile tires, hoop stock and the like, it will be understood that articles other than circular may be similarly formed into a package embodying the present invention and the term ring-shaped used herein is intended to include substantially circular as well as rectangular, polygonal or other shaped merchandise.

While I have described quite specifically the embodiment of the invention illustrated it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departure from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A package comprising ring-shaped merchandise, a covering therefor extending lengthwise about the outer circumference of the merchandise and extending transversely from each side of the outer circumference over the sides to join at the inner circumference thereof and thence extending inwardly toward the center of the merchandise in face to face position, and a stitching through said face to face inward extensions to join them.

2. A package comprising ring-shaped merchandise, a covering therefor extending length- Wise about the outer circumference of the merchandise and transversely from each side of the outer circumference over the sides to the inner circumference of said merchandise and then in face to face position inwardly toward the center of the merchandise, and a stitching joining together said face to face extensions and comprising flexible loop stitching and a relatively stiff locking filament extending through the loop stitching and releasing said loops when pulled free therefrom.

3. The article of claim 2 in which said locking filament is of metal and said loops are of relatively soft flexible material.

4. The article of claim 2 in which said locking filament is of metal with its ends twisted together to form an endless circle.

5. The article of claim 1 in which said covering is of paper.

PAUL M. ROGERS. 

